Linda Elaine Petrat

Linda Elaine Petrat of Sarasota, FL passed away at the age of 75 on Tuesday November 22nd 2022 after a brief illness. Linda was born on June 3rd, 1947, in Honolulu, Hawaii to Jesse A and Willard F Petrat. She was the oldest of seven and along with her family, had great adventures living aboard a 60’ schooner sailing for Australia at the age of 15. After ending up in the Bahamas, she helped her father develop the out islands in the Exumas including Fowl, Staniel and Bock Cays. She left the islands to complete her schooling and ended up falling in love with New England, starting her family and life there. Linda was an artist, author and adventurer. During her life she expressed herself through fabric arts, woodworking, writing and travel, but was always a sailor at heart and held a Captains license for 100-ton vessels. She loved to sail and was always happiest on the water. Some of her best memories were made sailing including her solo sail from Maine to Florida on her 21’ Ensign, The Summer Wind. An avid reader, Linda loved stories of all kinds and was proud she was able to pen two books of her own. Linda was the lucky recipient of a donated kidney and the family would like to thank Herb Taylor for his life-extending gift. She was predeceased by her sisters, Deborah & Joyce and her cherished dog, Meg. Linda is survived by her children, Angela C Stevens (husband Raymond Hamel) of North Hampton, NH and Ericka L Stevens of Savannah, GA. Brothers, Carl Petrat (wife Bonnie), Greg Petrat (wife Alice) & Willard Petrat. She is also survived by her loving sister, Cindy Petrat Hayden (husband Tim) as well as many dear nephews, nieces & cousins. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Toale Brothers Funeral Home Colonial Chapel, 40 N. Orange Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236. A second celebration of life will be held in New England during the summer of 2023. In keeping with her wishes, her family will spread her ashes at her beloved Monhegan Island, Maine in the summer of 2023. In lieu of flowers, please consider registering as an organ donor https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up Gone From My Sight I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone." Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me -- not in her. And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone," there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" And that is dying...

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Linda Elaine Petrat

November 22, 2022